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Experts unearth prehistoric super salamander
Salamander excavation
The team unearthed the bones of the prehistoric species on the site of an ancient lake in Southern Portugal.

Creatures grew up to two meters in length and lived in lakes and rivers

A species of crocodile-like amphibian that lived during the rise of the dinosaurs was among Earth's top predators more than 200 million years ago, a study led by the University of Edinburgh has revealed.

A team of palaeontologists identified the prehistoric species - Metoposarus algarvensis - after excavating bones at the site of an ancient lake in Southern Portugal.

A distant relative of the salamander, the team say that the species was part of a wider group of primitive amphibians that were widespread around 220-230 million years ago.

The creatures grew up to two meters in length and lived in lakes and rivers during the late Triassic Period, living much like crocodiles do today and feeding mainly on fish.

Dr Steve Brusatte, who led the study, said: "This new amphibian looks like something out of a bad monster movie. It was as long as a small car and had hundreds of sharp teeth in its big flat head, which kind of looks like a toilet seat when the jaws snap shut.

"It was the type of fierce predator that the very first dinosaurs had to put up with if they strayed too close to the water, long before the glory days of T. rex and Brachiosaurus."

Dr Richard Butler, from the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham, said: "Most modern amphibians are pretty tiny and harmless. But back in the Triassic these giant predators would have made lakes and rivers pretty scary places to be."

The new species was discovered in a large bed of bones where it is thought up to several hundred of the creatures died when the lake they inhibited dried-up.

Only four square meters of the site has been excavated so far, and the team is continuing work there in the hope of uncovering new fossils.

The study has been published in The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Image (C) University of Edinburgh

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here

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Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.